Pastor Steve Richards

The stories of the prophet Elijah are amazing. He went where God sent him and ravens brought him food. When God sent him to the widow of Zarephath for food, though she had only enough for one meager meal, she never ran out of food. Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and proved that the LORD God could do what Baal could not. But then when threatened by Queen Jezebel, he ran to the wilderness afraid, choosing death rather than risking an encounter with Jezebel.

I think I understand. I’ve never experienced a series of supernatural miracles like Elijah, but I have felt the presence and power of God in one experience and then doubted that God could be that same presence and power in the next. God remains faithful. It’s me that wavers.

God promised Elijah a sign that God was with him. It was not the wind storm. It was not the earthquake. It was not the fire. It was a gentle whisper. Hearing the whisper and knowing again the presence and power of God, Elijah could continue. Being quiet and still, waiting for the whisper – that continues to be my challenge today.

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 17-19; Colossians 2

What does it mean to be free? Asa was the king. He could do what he wanted. He started well, reforming the ways of his predecessor and putting the nation’s focus back on God. As a result, it was a period of peace and prosperity. But when Israel threatened to attack, Asa developed a plan. He was free to do so, but he left God out of the plan. He never even stopped to consider what might be pleasing to God. Even when he became ill, he never thought to seek God’s help. He was free to do what he did. Sometimes I think freedom is not all that we think it is.

Paul was living under house arrest in Rome when he wrote a letter to the Colossians. Paul was not free and yet from what he wrote, it would seem Paul was more free than King Asa who could do whatever he wanted. In Colossians 1:13, Paul described something God can do that we cannot do (even in all our freedom to do whatever we want). Redemption and forgiveness – only God can do that. The central message: “God has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel.” (vs 22-23)

Words from a song come to mind:

I can hear the sound of freedom like a distant voice who called. And beckon me to follow where I had never gone. And though my heart is willin’, I just stood there at the wall Prayin’ somehow it would fall. But in a cross I found a doorway and a hand that held a key. And when the chains fell at my feet, for the first time I could see.
This is how it feels to be free. This is what it means to know that I am forgiven. This is how it feels to be free. To see that life can be more that I imagined. This is how it feels to be free. This is how it feels to be free, yeah.

God can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. Let God and be free!

When I was in college, I read a tract titled “My Heart Christ’s Home”. I’ve never forgotten its message. As we begin our spiritual walk, we welcome Christ into our hearts. As we grow in our spiritual walk, we allow Christ to permeate all aspects of our heart until our hearts belong to Christ. The final sentence from the tract: “Things are different since Jesus Christ has settled down and has made his home in my heart.”

I recalled that message as I read from the Old Testament how one king had a heart for God and another did not. The effectiveness of the king was determined by where his heart was focused. If focused on himself, there would be a disasterous outcome for the nation. If focused on God, there would be peace and prosperity for the nation. King David remained the standard bearer as the man “after God’s own heart”. (Acts 13:22)

How fully have you let God into your heart? Philippians is Paul’s gospel of joy. What is joy? In chapter 3:11, he writes “to be content whatever the circumstances.” As I said to someone last evening who is facing very difficult circumstances, “we don’t always get the answer that we want when we want it, but we always get God.” To know that my heart belongs to God is not necessarily easy (I won’t always get what I want when I want), but it is the secret to a life of contentment and joy.

It is often easier to look at others than it is to look at ourselves. As I read the Old Testament readings for today, it was easy for me to see the problems with Jereboam and Rehoboam. They put their interests before God’s interests and the consequences were consistently disasterous. But when in 2 Chronicles 12:6, King Rehoboam and the leaders “humbled themselves” before God, they experienced “deliverance.” Come on, people, just humble yourselves before God! Could they not see their problem and take steps to address it? It is so easy for us to identify the problem and the solution. And maybe that’s the lesson of scripture, it is easy.

Or is it? In Philippians 3:17, Paul writes, “Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.” Suddenly, I hear a message from scripture that the focus has shifted from “them” to “us”. Paul is bold enough to offer himself to others as an example. He once lived for himself (verse 4 – “put confidence in the flesh”), but no longer. He humbled himself, imitating Christ’s humility (see chapter 2), and now he offers himself as an example and calls us to do the same.

Okay, here’s the challenge: if it is so easy to see the problem and the solution when I look at others,then it is time for bold self-examination and humility. We hardly need to say, “look at me”, because others already are. “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” (vs 16)

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 13-14; 2 Chronciles 12; Philippians 3

In a recent commencement address, the actress Viola Davis said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you realize why you were born.” Yesterday, I noticed the number of children in our neighbor who were riding bikes. They were not in school because summer vacation has started. How I remember the joy in knowing I had three months without school. But a week later, I was already working a summer job. I dreaded those mornings of going to work every bit as much as I dreaded going to school. I had not found a purpose. I did not know why I was born.

For most of the twelve chapters of Ecclesiastes, the writer describes the meaninglessness of life. It is all meaningless – all of it – until in the final chapter, verse 13: “fear God and keep his commandments.” What is it that we discover when we recognize there is a God? The Psalmist says: “The Lord has become my fortress and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.” In Ephesians 5, Paul writes, “Be careful how you live… be filled with the Spirit.”

The first question of the Westminster catechism (why I remember this, I don’t know – I’m not even Presbyterian!) is this: What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Which brings me to the final section of Ephesians 5 – words that have become somewhat controversial and often ignored: wives submit to your husbands. Of course, the prior verse (21) says, “Submit to one another out of reverence to Christ.” This is one section where it is important to examine the whole passage and not single out one phrase. Paul commends a model for our lives – particularly the marriage relationship. That model is Jesus. Though he was never married, Jesus shows us the depth of love and the readiness to place others before himself – that is, unconditional, sacrificial love.

It was not until I established a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ that I found purpose. Wherever I am: what is the most loving thing? My actions in response to the question have become my way to glorify God, to enjoy God forever.

Today’s readings: Ecclesiastes 10-12; Psalm 94; Ephesians 5

My morning began at my usual time but instead of my practice of scripture, reflection and prayer, I took someone to the airport. And without my usual quiet time, I immediately felt rushed and so I rushed. After the trip to the airport, I stopped for a cup of coffee. I thought maybe the lack of coffee was my missing link to the day (how quickly I forget what I was really missing). I was the fifth person in line and I didn’t want to wait. The total wait was no more than two minutes but it felt like an unnecessary interruption in my rushed beginning to the day. Not until midafternoon did I stop and realize what I had forgotten – my quiet time.

In Ephesians 3, Paul writes this prayer: “I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power…” Sometimes, all it takes is a few words from scripture to suddenly discover God’s message for my life at that moment. Being rooted. What does it take to be rooted? I don’t see roots on moving objects (at least ones that are still alive). To be rooted requires remaining in the right place under the right conditions long enough to send down roots. If I don’t take the time with the right practices, I won’t be rooted. And if I do, I believe Paul’s prayer can be answered in my life. I want power. I want to be rooted and established in love. If I will invest the time and be patient, the roots will come.

Here’s how The Message interprets verse 20: God can do anything you know – far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Today’s readings: Ecclesiastes 4-6; Psalm 18; Ephesians 3

In the movie “Groundhog Day”, Bill Murray is trapped in one day being repeated over and over again. No matter what he does, every morning he awakes to a day that is exactly the same. It is meaningless. The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “Everything is meaningless.” When Murray first realizes he is trapped, he decided to take advantage of everything and everyone. If the day is simply repeated, there are no lasting consequences – or so he thinks. But his efforts lead to despair and even his attempts to end the meaningless of his life only result in the alarm clock welcoming him to a new day exactly like every other day.

The movie may serve as a metaphor for seasons of our lives. We are not getting what we want when we want it. Or maybe our dream of what could be seems ever further away. Does my life have meaning, and if it does, why doesn’t today look any better than yesterday? Maybe you feel trapped. In the movie, Murray eventually breaks free from Groundhog Day. He is powerless to change the circumstances but he can change his attitude and behavior. He starts looking for a purpose, some way that he can add meaning to other people’s lives.

In Ecclesiastes, the writer realizes that meaning is found in accepting today as a gift of God. “[God] has made everything beautiful in its time.” (Eccl 3:11) Or Paul says to the Christians of Ephesus: “For we are God’s handiwork created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph 2:10)

Today is a gift of God. My life, your life is a gift of God. Paul says “handiwork”. The Greek word is used to describe “a work of art”. You are God’s artistry at its best, designed and created to take today as a gift and make this a day for the glory of God. May it be so.

Romans 16 reminds us that this letter from Paul was personal. It was not a letter intended for the ages to articulate theology for Christians 2000 years later. It does help with that, but this was a personal letter to a small group of new Christians. This was a movement, and to be part of such a movement must have been exhilating and exhausting. But God had done something extraordinary – something life-changing – in Jesus Christ. The promises of scripture had been fulfilled and they were living in a new world. They needed each other and needed to be reminding each other that they were part of the same family whose faith and love would prevail.

I wonder what we could learn from them. Have we lost the fervor of a movement that could transform the world? I had a seminary professor who reminded us to never forget what it was like when you first believed.

“…to the only wise God be glory forevver through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (vs 27)

Today’s readings: Proverbs 28-29; Psalm 60; Romans 16

“Though we may not think alike, may we not all love alike?” (John Wesley)

What Paul recognized among the Romans believers has been true throughout history. Christians don’t agree on everything concerning the Christian life, and they do not need to. This week, I heard someone say about Christians, “we must keep the main stuff the main stuff.” Our unity is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we live we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord, so whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. (vs 8) To the Christians, Paul was saying: Stop judging each other and do not be a stumbling block. (vs 13) Make every effort to do what leads to peace. (vs 19) Or as John Wesley said: “In essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty; in all things charity.”

Sometimes it appears that it is easier for us Christians to disagree than to agree. What if we started with where we agree and ended with where we agree? Our unity is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Today’s readings: Proverbs 22-24; Romans 14

Clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ… (Romans 13:14)

What we wear matters. Certain days and certain events involve certain care to decide what to wear. We want to make the right impression. We don’t want to be over-dressed or under-dressed. What we wear says something about what we think about ourselves. But what does it means to “clothe yourself” with Jesus?

Remember the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes. The emperor thought he was wearing what he was not. Everyone else knew that emperor was not wearing clothes but no one told the emperor so that the only one fooled was the emperor. Have we ever fooled ourselves into thinking we were clothed with Jesus when those who looked at us knew we were not?

Baptism is a moment when we put on new spiritual clothes. We shed the old and receive the new. Remember your baptism. Remember that you are baptized. You have new clothes. Do they still fit or have we let ourselves go, that is, have we lost the self-discipline necessary to be clothed with Christ? We cannot live this Christian life alone. We must be part of a group that will help us see what we do not (no clothes!) and hold us accountable (clothe yourself).

My quiet time began with this verse from Proverbs 19:2. “Desire without knowledge is not good, how much more will hasty feet miss the way.” When I have been hasty, I have sometimes put on mismatched clothes or the wrong clothes for the wrong occasion. Knowledge. I keep reading scripture to learn and discern the way of the Lord Jesus Christ so that I recognize the “clothes” of Christ and wear them.